VARIABILITY OF THE GEOCHEMICAL AND GRANULOMETRIC COMPOSITION OF THE SOILS OF THE FOREST STEPPE OF UKRAINE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF COMBAT ACTIONS

Abstract

The article has a practical character for directing the influence of military actions on the soil cover of Ukraine. The purpose of the article is to determine the qualitative and quantitative changes in particle size composition, as well as the content of trace elements and heavy metals in the places of impact of artillery and air strikes on the ground cover in the Kharkiv region (Kharkiv district, eastern outskirts of the city of Kharkiv). Research methods: the laser diffraction method was used to determine the granulometric composition of the soil. This physical value refers to stable indicators and its change indicates the degradation processes in the soil cover. Determination of the size of soil particles was carried out by the laser diffraction method on a Mastersizer 3000E particle analyzer from Malvern Instruments with a Hydro EV liquid dispersion module. The content of mobile forms of manganese, zinc, iron, cobalt, copper, cadmium, chromium, lead, and nickel in soil samples was determined in a buffered ammonium acetate extract with pH 4.8 by atomic absorption spectrophotometry on a SATURN-4 device (manufactured by Ukraine) according to DSTU 4770.1 – 9:2007. The selection of point samples of the soil was carried out according to the depths of probable contamination based on a combined approach with the use of modified models of radial local distribution of substances ("hot spots") in two- and three-dimensional space according to the series of harmonized standards DSTU ISO10381. The research was carried out using systematic, comparative, logical-analytical and laboratory methods, as well as methods of infometry, critical analysis and generalization. Place of research: agricultural land (arable land and forest strips) near the settlements of Mala Rohan and Novy Korotych of Kharkiv region, where active hostilities took place. The soil cover of the research area is represented by chernozem soils of the forest-steppe zone. As a result of analytical studies, it was established that the impact of artillery and air strikes on the ground cover is purely negative. Eruptions formed as a result of these effects require reclamation, and in any case can accumulate moisture, reduce the plowed area on the field. In addition, the soil scattered by the explosion of air bombs and shells around the crater, under the influence of precipitation and in the process of plowing, will eventually mix with the upper fertile layer, which will lead to its weighting, and as a result, the air-water balance will deteriorate, which will lead to the loss fertility. According to the results of determining the total pollution index Zc by the content of heavy metals, one artillery shot of 82-mm caliber led to an acceptable level of man-made pollution of the land; 120-mm caliber – from permissible to moderately dangerous and dangerous degrees; 152-155 mm – permissible and moderately dangerous; dropping an aerial bomb weighing 100 kg – moderately dangerous and dangerous degree. In places where diesel fuel was spilled, the content of heavy metals rose to a moderately dangerous level, technical acids – to an extremely dangerous level of man-made land pollution.